x0xteddybearx0x
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2007 5:48 pm

Dirt/Weed Border Around Above The Ground Pool

Hello Everyone! I have an above the ground pool in my backyard. Surrounding my pool are pebbles with a scallop edging made of stone, I have grass growing next to that, and then I have flowerbeds along my back fence. My grass is fine, but along the scalloped edging of my pool, the grass becomes weeds. I've pulled all of the weeds along my scalloped edging, and now it looks like I have pebbles, scallop edging, dirt edging, grass, and then my flowerbeds.

What can I do to cover the dirt along the scalloped edging? I was thinking of putting more grass down, but I think that the grass will start to grow through the scalloped edging and up through the pebbles. I thought of putting flowers there, but I think that the weeds will just end up coming back.

Once I took the weeds out, it did make a nice uniform dirt border along the scalloped edging. I just want to get rid of that dirt border, to keep the weeds away, and to keep anything I put there from growing up through the pebbles surrounding my pool.

Please help! I'm desperate! I've been doing a lot of work to my front and back yard, and that's the only part of my yard that doesn't look right!

Thanks! :D

Newt
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Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

Hi x0xteddybearx0x,

I was wondering if you ever found a solution to your problem with the area around your pool.

Newt

Newt
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Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

I received this response from "x0xteddybearx0x".
No, I never found a solution for this problem spot.
Many plants, including lawn grass, spread by their roots, so your lawn is going to keep invading the dirt area. I have a similar situation. One thing I found that is helpful is to have a dropped-lawn edge. You would have that where the dirt is now. Scroll down here for how to do this.
https://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_design_paths_walkways/article/0,1785,HGTV_3567_1398447,00.html

You could even combine this with plants that grow in clumps instead of runners. Something like Heuchera aka coral bells might work planted in front of the scalloped edge, then the dropped-edge and then the grass. Many Heuchera have wonderfully colorful leaves for interest when they aren't in bloom, and the hummingbirds like the flowers. The only potential problem I see with that is the leaves might overhang the dropped-lawn edge and that could make it difficult when you have to redo the edge once a year. You can drool over these.
https://www.terranovanurseries.com/wholesale/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=346

You could also install a root barrier, but the roots of the grass will still try and grow over or under the barrier. The root barrier would need to be much deeper then your scalloped edging. You can see root barriers here as they are used for trees. Click especially on both that are labeled as #3.
https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/rootgrowthbarriers.html

Newt

x0xteddybearx0x
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2007 5:48 pm

Thanks for the advice! :D

I don't mind if the lawn grows in the "dirt border" I ended up creating after I removed all of the weeds. I just don't want my lawn to grow in the area surrounding my pool where I have the pebbles. I like the dropped-lawn edging suggestion to keep the grass from growing into my pebbles. I'll just have to apply grass and weed killer in that area to keep the weeds out and fill the "dirt border" with grass.

BTW, Newt, sorry for the PM, I didn't consider the issues that arose from it. :oops:

Newt
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

You are very welcome! Don't worry about the pm. People do it all the time. :) For grass and weed control you might want to try vinegar. Do be careful when you spray though, as like other non-selective products, it will kill whatever it's sprayed on. The dropped-edge should help to stop the invasion. The biggest problem I have with it is making sure I refresh it every year. When it's a large area it does become a bit of a chore, but I love the look.

Newt



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